Technical Field
The technical field relates generally to core-shell multi-layered mico- and nano-sized particles derived from low-temperature melting point metals and metal alloys using a top-down process that includes fluidic shearing and surface functionalization.
Background Discussion
Small two-layer particles having a liquid metal core and a hard shell are currently produced using a variety of techniques. For example, liquid metal marbles and liquid metal/metal oxide frameworks may be made by coating liquid metal droplets with metal oxides, Teflon™, silica, or carbon nanotube films. Liquid metal nanoparticles may also be made by dividing a macroscopic drop of liquid metal using ultrasonic scissioning in the presence of a stabilizer, and microparticles of metal and metal alloys have been created using a droplet emulsion technique (DET) by shearing a molten metal in the presence of a carrier fluid.